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EveryMasala

Rubs and barbecue

Dukkah

An Egyptian dry dip of crushed nuts, sesame, coriander and cumin, eaten with bread and oil.

Dukkah, from the Arabic for to pound, is a coarse Egyptian mix of toasted nuts, seeds and spices. It is eaten by dipping bread first into olive oil and then into the mixture, and is now popular in Australia and elsewhere.

What goes in

Hazelnuts: 29%29%Sesame: 21%21%Coriander seed: 21%21%Cumin: 14%14%Black pepper: 7%Salt: 7%14parts

Parts by volume of the whole spice. The ring shows each part's share.

Made step by step

Each drawing shows the operation for that step. Ratios and timings differ from house to house; this is one traditional-style way.

  1. Step 1: Toast Toast the hazelnuts and rub off the skins.
  2. Step 2: Toast Toast the sesame until golden.
  3. Step 3: Toast Toast the coriander and cumin seed.
  4. Step 4: Rest Cool everything.
  5. Step 5: Pound Pound the nuts and spices coarsely in a mortar.
  6. Step 6: Store Mix with salt and pepper and store airtight.
  7. Hazelnuts: 29%29%Sesame: 21%21%Coriander seed: 21%21%Cumin: 14%14%Black pepper: 7%Salt: 7%
    Finished Dukkah, by share.

Texture matters

It should be crumbly, not a paste. Hazelnuts or chickpeas are used in Egypt, with sesame, coriander and cumin. The nuts release oil if pounded too long.

Use

Besides bread, it is used on eggs, salads, roasted vegetables and as a crust for fish or lamb. Families and shops use many combinations.

Where it is used

Bread and oilEggsRoast vegetablesFish crust

The spices in it

SesameSeed.CorianderSeed.CuminSeed.Black pepperThe dried fruit of a climbing vine, the world's most traded spice.

More on EveryMasala

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Sources and further reading

About this page

Original text and drawings by the EveryMasala desk, written with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. The shares are an illustrative, traditional-style ratio, not a standard: every family and maker blends differently. If we have something wrong, tell us.

Photo credits on this page

The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.

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